Switch



Patented July 21, 1931 FFCE JOSEPH F. NENZEL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALFORNIA y v SWITCH Application led August 1, 1928.

My invention relates to and has for a purpose the provision of a switch Ytor controlling electrical circuits, which is characterized by its structural simplicity, inexpensiveness ot manufacture, and its ease o'i operation to March 1, 1927, for example, the switch can be conveniently accommodated in a pocket of the persons clothing and manually manipulated while in the pocket to control the circuit oi the lamp with the utmost ease.

Another purpose of my invention is the provision ot' a switch embodying` a detachable connection by which a conductor leading from the switch can be connected to or disconnected from the switch as desired.

1 will describe only one form otl switch embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereoi in claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is an enlarged view showing in front elevation one form of switch embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and looling in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, the switch being shown in open position;

Fig. 4 is a 'fragmentary view illustrating the close-d position of the switch; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a contact member embodied in the switch.

Referring specifically to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate similar parts in each of the several views, my invention in its present embodiment comprises a body designated generally at B and constructed ot insulating material such as hard rubber to provide a pair of substantially rectangular companion sections 10 and ei'ial N0. 296,727.

11 recessed on their conironting sides and cri-operating to provide therebetween a closed compartment 12, the sections being secured together by a. pair of screws 13 having their heads seating in pockets ll formed in the section 10, and nuts 15 threaded on the screws and seating in pockets 1G in the section 11.

TWithin the compartment 12 are two pairs of stationary contacts 15, 16, and 17, 17 respectively, these contacts being of identical construction and each comprising a strip ot metal having one end bent at right angles as indicated at 18 and seating in a groove 19 formed in the sections 10 and 11. Each ot' thc tour contacts 16, 1G, 17 and 17a extends through a groove 2O formed in the sections 10 and 11, to the end that when the sections are secured together the contacts will be securely heid against displacement in the body, with the pair of contacts 16 and 1Gn disposed along one wall of the compartment 12 with their confronting ends in spaced relation, while the other pair oi contacts 17 and 17a will be identically disposed along the opposed wall of the compartment, all as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The contacts 16 and 17 project from one ond o'l the compartment 12 into a pocket 21 formed in the body B by the co-operation of the sections 10 and 11, and to the projecting ends ot the contacts 1G and 17 are adapted to be connected by screws 22, conductors and 2li respectively, which extend into the pocket 21 through an opening 25 also formed in the body B as a result of the co-operation of the sections 10 and 11.

lVithin the compartment 12 is mounted a pair of contact members 26 and 27 one tor each pair o1- contacts 16, 1Ga and 17 and 17 respectively, the contacts 26 and 27 being ot identical construction and each formed from a strip of spring metal normally of substantially V shape and having its extremities bent to form hooks 28 which loosely receive lugs 29 formed on the extremities of a block 30 ot insulating material such as hard rubber which constitutes a means for mounting the Contact members 2G and 27 tor sliding movement in the compartment to occupy a bridging or non-bridging position with respect to PCI the pairs of contacts 16, 16FL and 17, 17a respectively, according as the block 36 is moved to one cxtreme position or another.

The block is adapted to be actuated in the present instance and from the exterior oit the body B by means of a linger engaging button 31 having a shank 32 projecting through a slot 33 in the section 10 and having a reduced portion 34 extending into a socket 35 formed in the block 30, the button 31 being slidably mounted on the section 1() and yet secured against displacement therefrom by means of a washer 36 which is forced upon the reduced portion 34 of the shank 32 in assembling` the section 10 and the button.

It will be noted that the intermediate portion or apex ot each otI the contact members 26 and 27 bears against a side of the block 30 so that with the block mounted in the compartment 12 as shown, the extremities oiI the contact members will be placed under tension between the opposed wall of the compartment 12 along which the pairs ot contacts 16, 16 and 17, 17a are disposed so as to be normally urged outwardly from the block.

In the bridging position of the members 26 and 27 as shown in Fig. 4l, their normal outward urging tendency is utilized to set up sutlicient friction between the members and their respective pairs of contacts to produce a lirm electrical connection as well as to prevent accidental displacement of the members from bridging position.

In the non-bridoing posit-ion of the contact members 26 and 27, shown in Fig. 3, one ot the extremities of each of the members is adapted to snap into a V shaped notch 37 formed in the wall of the compartment 12 so as to releasably retain or latch the members in non-bridging position, thus positively preventing the accidental movement ot the contact members to bridging position with the resulting completion ot the circuit through each pair of contacts 16, 16a and 17, 17a.

Although the Contact members 26 and 27 will be iirmly held by the notches 37 against accidental displacement. they can be readily moved to bridging position by the exertion of a slight pressure against the button 31, the inclined walls of the notches operating as cams to torce the co-acting extremities oi the members, inwardly of the block 30, against their normal outward urging action.

rIhe contacts 16 and 17ZL project from the opposite end of the compartment 12 exteriorly ot the body B and are adapted to be connected 'to or disconnected from contacts 38 and 39 respectively, each ot' which is in the form of a pair ot spring arms, secured by screws 4l() and nuts 41 in a cup shapedvcap C which is rcmova .ly iitted on the body B through the medium of gui ding` projections Aformed on the sections 10 and 11 and over which the cap is adapted to snugly fitso as contact to be held by Yfriction against accidental displacement.

rlhe screws 40 serve as binding` posts to which are secured conductors a3 and 4st, to the end that the conductor 43 will be electrically connected to the contact 38 while the conductor 114 will be electrically connected to the contact 39. To facilitate the application and removal of the cap C to and 'trom the body B, the cap is provided on opposite sides with concave finger receiving recesses .t5 while the body is provided on opposite sides with similar shaped recesses L16.

From the foregoing description it will be manifest that my invention broadly contemplates the provision ot a simple, substantial and inexpensive switch having relatively i`ew moving` parts, and by which one or more electrical `circuits can be controlled with the utmost ease and positiveness, the switch having the added feature ot compactness, rendering it particularly desirable 'tor carrying` in the pocket of a persons clothing, and also the accessibility' ol the actuator described as the button 3() which can be readily moved to open or close the switch by pressure ot a linger,

thereagainst while the switch reposes in the pocket.

It will be understood that although two pairs of contacts 16, 16 and 17, 171L respectively, and two contact members 26 and 27 have been described so that the switch is adapted to control a two wire circuit, only one pair of contacts 16, 16 and one contact member 26 therefrom, would be required should the circuit through a single wire be all that it was intended to control.

Furthermore, it will be manifest that my switch, in addition to the foregoing advantages, embodies a detachable connection constituted by the separable cap C with its contacts, by which a break in the conductor ot a circuit can be readily eiiected when desired for any reason. In addition, the mode ot construction ot the switch insures ample insulation to prevent the ocurrence of a short-circu it in the switch, and to completely enclose all current conducting` parts against Contact by the user.

Although I have herein shown and described only one torni ot switch enibodving my invention, itis to be understood that va rious changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit oi the invention and the spirit and scope oli thc appended claims.

I claim:

1. A. switch comprisinga body ot' insulating material constructed of a. pair ot sections co-operating to provide compartment interiorly ot the body, means tor securing the sections together, a pair of spaced apart stationary contacts in the compartment, a block ct insulating material slidably mounted in the compartment and having lugs at opposed ends, a contact member comprising a strip of resilient material having its ends bent to loosely emb 1ace said lugs, to thereby connect the contact member to the block for movement by the latter, and manually operable means for actuating the block to move the Contact member to bridging and non-bridging positions with respect to the stationary contacts.

2. A switch comprising a body of insulating material constructed of a pair of sections co-operating to provide a compartment interiorly of the body, means for securing the sections together, a pair of spaced apart stationary contacts in the compartment, a block of insulating material slidably mount-ed in the compartment and having lugs at opposed ends, a contact member comprising a strip of resilient material having its ends bent to loosely embrace said lugs, to thereby connect the contact member to the block for movement by the latter, and manually operable means for actuating the block to move the contact member to bridging and non-bridging positions with respect to the stationary contacts, one wall ofthe compartment being provided with a notch engageable by the contact member to latch the latter in non-bridging position, the contact member operating under its resiliency to frictionally engage the stationary contacts when the member is in bridging position and thereby prevent accidental displacement of the member from bridging position.

3. A switch comprising a body of insulating material having a compartment therein, two pairs of stationary contacts in the compartment, a block of insulating material slidably mounted in the compartment between the two pairs of stationary contacts, a pair of contact members, one for each pair of stationary contacts, carried by the block for movement thereby to bridging and non-bridging positions with respect to their respective pair of stationary contacts, manually operable means for actuating said block, the block being provided with lugs at its opposite ends, and the contact members each comprising a strip of resilient metal having its ends hooked and loosely embracing said lugs, the end portions of the Contact members being normally urged outwardly from the block for frictional engagement with their respective pair of stationary contacts.

4. A switch comprising a body of insulating material having a compartment therein, two pairs of stationary contacts in the compartment, av block of insulating material slidably mounted in the compartment between the two pairs of stationary Contacts, a pair of contact members, one for each pair o-i stationary contacts, carried by the block for movement thereby to bridging and nonbridging positions with respect to their respective pair of stationary contacts, manually operable means for actuating said block,

the block being provided with lugs at its opposite ends, and the contact members each comprising a strip of resilient metal having its ends hooked and loosely embracing said lugs, the end portions of the contact members being normally urged outwardly from the block for frictional engagement with their respective pair of stationary contacts, the opposed walls of the compartment having notches into which one of said end portions orp the contact members are adapted to snap to latch the contact members in nonbridging position 5. A switch comprising a body of insulating material having a compartment therein, a. pair of stationary contacs disposed in spaced relation to each other along a wall o'l' the compartment, a block of insulating material slidably mounted in the compartment, a. resilient contactI member carried by said block and normally urged towards said wall of the compartment to occupy a bridging or non-bridging position with respect to the stationary contacts according as said block is moved to one eXtreme position or another, and means for actuating the block, said wall or' the compartment having a notch therein into which the Contact member is adapted to snap to releasably retain the contact member in non-bridging position.

6. A switch comprising a body of insulating material having a compartment therein, a pair of stationary contacts disposed in spa ced relation to each other along a wall of the compartment, a block of insulating material rslidably mounted inthe compartment, a resilient contact member carried by said block and normally urged towards said wall of the compartment to occupy a briding or non-bridging position with respect to the stationary contacts according as said block is moved to one extreme position or another, and means for actuating the block, said block having lugs at opposed extremities, and said contact member comprising a strip oit' spring metal having hooked extremities loosely receiving said lugs to allow a limited lateral movement of the contact member relative to the block.

7. A switch comprising a body of insulating materialhavi-ng a compartment therein, a pair of stationary contacts disposed in spaced relation to each other along a wall of the compartment, a block of insulating material slidably mounted in the compartment, a resilient contact member carried by said block and normally urged towards said wall of the compartment to occupy a bridging or non-bridging position with respect to the stationary contacts according as said block is moved to one extreme position or another, and means for actuating the block, said block having lugs at opposed extremities, and said Contact member comprising a V shaped strip of spring metal bearing at its apex against said block and having its extremities loosely receiving the lugs to allow a limited relative movement ot' the extremities inwardly of the block against their normal outward urging action, yet to delinitely limit the outward movement of the extremities relative to the block.

8. A switch comprising a. body of insulating material having a compartment therein, a pair of stationary contacts disposed in spaced reation to each other along a wall of the compartment, a block of insulating material slidably mounted in the compartment, a resilient contact member carried by said block and normally urged towards said wall of the compartment to occupy a bridging or nonbridging position with respect to the stationary contacts according as said block is moved to one extreme position or another, and means lor actuating the block, said block having lugs at opposed extremities, and said contact member comprising a strip of spring metal having an intermediate portion thereof bearing against said bloclr and its extremities constructed to loosely receive the lugs so as to allow a limited relative movement of the ei;- tremities inwardly of the block against their normal outward urging action, yet to delinitely limit the outward movement of the extremities relative to th-e block.

9. A switch having a pair of spaced apart stationary contacts insulated from each other, a mounting movable with respect to the stationary contacts, a resilient contact member having end portions, and means for connecting the end portions of said member to the mounting for movement of the member by the mounting to bridging and non-bridging positions of the end portions with respect to the stationary contacts, yet render the end portions ree :tor limited lateral movement relative to the mounting, to enable the resiliency of the member to be utilized in yieldingly urging the end portions into engagement with the stationary contacts when the member occupies bridging position.

l0. A switch having a pair of spaced apart stationary contacts insulated from each other, a mounting movable with respect to the stationary contacts, a resilient contact member having end portions movably engaging the mounting in a manner to connect the member to the mounting for movement thereby to bridging and non-bridging positions with respect to the stationary contacts, and means for normally urging said end portions in a direction for engagement with the stationary contacts.

l1. A switch having a pair of spaced apart stationary contacts insulated from each other, a mounting movable with respect to the stationary contacts, and a resilient contact member having end portions movably engaging the mounting in a manner to connect the member to the mounting for movement thereby to bridging and non-bridging positions with respect to the stationary contacts, the contact member having an intermediate portion engaging the mounting to normally urge said end portions in a direction for engagement with the stationary contacts.

12. A switch having a pair of spaced apart stationary contacts insulated from each other, a mounting movable with respect to the stationary contacts and having lugs, and a resilient contact member having portions loosely embracing said lugs so as to connect the member to the mounting for movement thereby to bridging and non-bridging positions with respect to the stationary contacts.

18. A switch having a pair of spaced apart stationary contacts insulated from each other, a mounting movable with respect to the stationary contacts and having lugs, and a resilient contact member having end portions loosely embracing said lugs so as to connect the member to the mounting for movemen-t thereby to bridging and non-bridging positions with respect to the stationary contacts, the contact member having an intermediate portion engaging the mounting to normally urge said end portions in a direction for engagement with the stationary contacts.

Signed at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, and State of California this Qfitli day of July, A. D., 1928.

JOSEPH F. NENZEL. 

